


Aftermath

by Oliver__Niko



Series: Sorey and Mikleo's Kinky Adventures [13]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BDSM, Dom/sub, Domestic, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Light Angst, M/M, Non-Explicit, Sub Drop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 18:22:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20568818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko
Summary: Even when a dominant is careful and takes care of their partner, negative emotions can still be persistent after a particularly intense session. And as one who often hides how he feels, Mikleo attempts to not let this show to begin with, not wanting Sorey to think it's his fault.





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> A part without sex? That's right! For a while now I wanted to dedicate a part to sub or dom drop, as even though I do write this series for fun, I've also had people say I've helped them to grow an understanding of certain aspects in a BDSM lifestyle. It made me think that I could also spread awareness about something which most people don't think about.
> 
> Usually in my kinky fics I don't include sub drop because I like to focus on a fluffy and positive aftercare, however I thought it'd be realistic to focus on a different scenario too. I hope you enjoy it!

“Just a little longer, sweetheart—”

Shallow breaths and desperate gasps for air. Beads of sweat trickling down flushed skin. Sorey closes his eyes as he concentrates on his thrusts, wanting to finish soon after Mikleo’s release moments before. Sorey reaches his own climax with a groan.

The moment he has caught his breath, Sorey pulls up his trousers and brings his attention to Mikleo. He is always Sorey’s priority. His arms are currently restrained behind his back, his rear inflamed from previous spanking, a blindfold and gag obscuring his senses—their session has been particularly intense. Sorey knows to attend to Mikleo immediately.

Knowing that Mikleo needs to catch his own breath, Sorey removes the ball gag to begin with. Mikleo inhales sharply as its removed. He stretches his jaw. Sorey notices how dry his lips have become, running a hand over Mikleo’s shoulders to reassure him.

“There’s water there, just give me a moment.”

Mikleo merely nods. Sorey removes the blindfold next, before he is paying attention to Mikleo’s bindings. The buckles of the cuffs take little time to unfasten. Soon, Mikleo is resting on his side, still silent as he breathes deeply.

Sorey picks up the glass of water on the nightstand. “Here, make sure to drink.”

“Thanks.” Mikleo’s voice is slightly hoarse. He accepts the glass, raising himself up a bit to begin downing it. Sorey has been right in his observation to get a larger one.

With a kiss pressed down on Mikleo’s shoulder, Sorey’s next priority is to clean him up. A bath would be suitable the moment Mikleo is ready. For now, however, Sorey takes a wipe from the packet nearby as Mikleo finishes the glass of water.

“Are you all right, now?” asks Sorey.

Mikleo hums, resting his head back down on his arms as the empty glass is taken from him. “I’m just tired.”

It’s quite understandable, what with the intensity of the session. Sorey still finds himself a little concerned, however. Mikleo is usually at least a little more vocal.

Sorey slides onto the bed in front of Mikleo. He settles down, bringing Mikleo into a hug, running his fingers through long strands of hair. A kiss is placed down onto the top of his head.

“You did great,” says Sorey. “I’m proud of you.”

These words seem to settle Mikleo a little. He snuggles closer to Sorey, resting his head into the other’s chest. Sorey cannot help but smile. His arms wrap around Mikleo, bringing him a little closer. It would be ideal to prepare some food for him, yet even if it is for a few minutes, Sorey knows this is important as well.

Sorey’s fingers trace circles on Mikleo’s back. The breaths against Sorey’s skin grow softer. Thinking it may simply be from relaxation, Sorey peers down at Mikleo. He is surprised to find that Mikleo is in fact asleep.

A smile stretches on Sorey’s face. “You definitely are tired, aren’t you?”

He trails his fingers down Mikleo’s cheek. Wondering, as always, how he is lucky enough to have him. The last thing he wants to do is not lie here with him. Yet now is the perfect time for him to slip away and cook them dinner, leaving Mikleo to rest. He definitely deserves plenty.

Sorey carefully eases himself away from Mikleo to not wake him. Not wanting to lift him in fear of this, he takes a blanket to stretch over Mikleo rather than place him under the duvet. He curls up a little in his sleep.

With a yawn, Sorey lifts up a T-shirt—he is rather sleepy himself. Although he would never accept pushing Mikleo to his limits only to not properly care for him after.

He pulls it on and heads out of the room, recalling his and Mikleo’s earlier conversation on what to have for dinner tonight. Hopefully it is fully prepared by the time he wakes.

* * *

The delicate smell of a mild curry has filled the kitchen. Sorey hums as he scoops it evenly onto two plates, the sauce spilling through the rice. As soon as the naan bread has followed, both plates are in Sorey’s hands. He hears the stairway creak.

“And so, the smell of curry awakens Sleeping Beauty from his slumber!”

Mikleo rolls his eyes in the doorway, yet is smiling from amusement. “Sorry I fell asleep. I would have helped you.”

“Nah, it’s fine. You needed to rest.” Sorey places the plates down on the dining table. He grins as his eyes scan over Mikleo’s chosen attire. Sorey’s blue shirt, which as usual is baggy on him, falling over his hands. “And I’m guessing all your clothes jumped off the face of the universe?”

“Like you’re complaining.”

“Never in my entire _life _will I complain over you wearing my clothes.”

“Then that’s that.”

Sorey laughs. He and Mikleo have now sat down, picking up the cutlery from the table. Sorey watches as Mikleo takes his first bite.

“Well? What d’you think?”

“It’s decent. Excellent for you.”

With a sigh, Sorey says, “One day, I’ll get a direct compliment from you about my food.” Sorey is silent for a moment, mixing up his food as he adds, “Mikleo, are you sure you’re all right? You still sound a bit … low, I suppose.”

“Do I?” Mikleo pops another forkful into his mouth and swallows. “I guess I’m just tired, still.”

“You’d tell me if something was up, right?”

“Yeah. Thanks, Sorey.”

“Hey, of course. Your well-being is my top priority, you know. And we have to be especially careful with how we have sex sometimes.”

Mikleo hums through his mouthful of curry. He swallows. “Food after is doing a pretty good job. God knows how I fell asleep when I was that hungry.”

Sorey grins; you can tell as much from how Mikleo is, for once, getting through his plate of food faster than Sorey.

They continue their meal. Both ravenous, they are soon to finish. Sorey declines Mikleo’s offer of at least washing the dishes; Sorey can tell the other is still drained. Sometimes he gets hit harder than on other days.

“Would you like to maybe watch a movie?” Sorey asks once he has finished; Mikleo has hovered nearby, likely to see if he can potentially take over, which Sorey has not given him chance to do. “Or would you rather rest some more?”

“I think I’m going to go upstairs and read a book before I sleep.”

Sorey smiles and nods. “Do whatever is best for you.”

He leans down to press his lips against Mikleo’s, who kisses straight back. Sorey holds his cheek as he says, “Let me know if you need anything.”

“I will. Thank you.”

Minutes later, Sorey is settling himself down on the living room sofa, knowing Mikleo would prefer to have some time alone. By the time Sorey enters their bedroom, Mikleo is already sound asleep in bed. Sorey kisses his cheek as he lays down next to him.

A good night’s rest is what he needs. Sorey is grateful for them both having the weekend off to allow Mikleo to do exactly that.

* * *

Only it turns out the following day that Mikleo is still a little off.

He blames it on tiredness once more. Sorey can see why this would be true—he himself is feeling a little less energetic than usual today—however he is uncertain if this is the true meaning of it.

One should always look out for their partner’s well-being. In any relationship, you naturally need to show your care to them and to know how they are. However, in the type of relationship that Sorey and Mikleo have, this importance is even more apparent.

They would not exactly say that their life revolves around a BDSM lifestyle. There are certainly a number of times, sometimes even weeks, where they are like any other couple. However, it is something they do delve into fairly regularly, and some sessions can be intense enough to take a lot of willpower. And this is exactly what Sorey has to be careful about.

Though it can happen to dominants especially, submissives have a greater chance of being affected by intensity. It can take toll on you emotionally with a whole adverse of side effects. And whilst this only tends to last for a short while, Sorey will always do what he can to help prevent, or at least lessen, the effects.

Any genuine person in this community would feel the same. There are, of course, those who aren’t—that is the type of person Sorey can truly not bring himself to respect. To not care on the welfare of your partner, even if you are only hooking up casually, is disrespectful and even dangerous at times. Someone who is decent and understands the intensity of what they do will put the person they’re with first. No exceptions.

This also means being a little pushy if you have to be. Mikleo especially is the type of person to cover things up. He dislikes talking about how he feels, unless it’s something which does not make him uncomfortable. Negative emotions away from rage are one of these. Mikleo is not the type to seek help.

“Are you sure you’re only tired?” Sorey asks because of this, when the two are eating noodles on the couch. Mikleo hums, swallowing his mouthful of food.

“Yeah. How about you? That was probably a full on workout.”

“I mean, I think I’m practically aching as much as I am when I go to the gym.”

“How do you think I feel?”

Sorey smiles almost weakly. “That’s what I mean. You can tell me if you’re not cool, you know. I wouldn’t get mad or anything. And it’s only human to not have everything feel perfect every time.”

“If you keep pestering me, I’ll eat your noodles, too.”

“Well, I’d just make more.”

“Then you’ll miss this episode,” says Mikleo, pointing his fork to the TV, on which the advert break has ended.

“Ugh. You’re evil, you know that?”

“Totally. And this is getting good, so no more nagging and let me watch it.”

Mikleo’s interest seems genuine, his body leaning towards the TV, and so Sorey decides to leave the subject. He knows that Mikleo’s stubbornness only goes so far. If he truly needs to, he will come to Sorey when he is ready. Sometimes he simply needs a little time to himself first.

Or perhaps he doesn’t even need to speak to Sorey _or _have time to himself at all. Sorey truly could be simply worrying far too much when he doesn’t need to, that Mikleo _is _simply worn out. He knows he should simply hold back for now and see how Mikleo gets on.

Besides … this episode really _is _fantastic. Mikleo is not down enough to stop Sorey from bringing him closer as they continue to watch the show with eyes which barely blink.

* * *

The tension in the home seems to clear as the day passes. Sorey still chooses to not initiate anything regardless—frankly, he needs a break from their previous session—and they relax together instead, making the most of their last day off together. They return to work by what seems like far too soon for either of them.

Sorey adores his work as a detective, and it does well to distract him from worries he has; he almost feels guilty that his concerns over Mikleo vanish quickly. Yet he knows Mikleo must be the same at his own work. If there is something _truly _bothering him, his tasks at the bakery are bound to be a distraction. He is passionate about what he does.

The shift ends surprisingly quickly for both. In the evening, Mikleo falls onto the bed on his back, letting out a large intake of air as he does so. Sorey grins at the unusual display of laziness.

“Tough day?” he asks.

“Not exactly _tough, _just really busy. I’ve been on my feet all day.”

“Whereas I’ve just been chilling at the station working on cases. Didn’t have to go out chasing anyone today.”

“I recall,” says Mikleo with a roll of his eyes; Sorey and Alisha often pop around to the bakery when they aren’t as busy. “Come down here, then. Help me take a load off.”

Sorey raises an eyebrow, sliding onto the bed. “Already, even after …?”

Mikleo hums. “I don’t know. I’ll see how I feel. I just want you to kiss me for now.”

With a grin, Sorey leans over Mikleo, stroking the other’s cheek with his thumb. “That I can do.”

He brings their lips together. Gentle at first, waiting for Mikleo to set his boundaries—the latter kisses back, his arms around Sorey’s neck, drawing him closer. He sees this as the moment to kiss a little deeper.

Mikleo’s hold on Sorey tightens. His hands running through Sorey’s hair feels wonderful. Their lips part with slight breathlessness, Mikleo raising up high enough to press a kiss to Sorey’s neck, before leaning his forehead against Sorey’s shoulder.

“This okay?” Sorey asks, as his hands trail down Mikleo’s waist, stopping short of his hips. “We don’t have to go all the way at all if you don’t want to.”

“That’s fine,” says Mikleo. Surprisingly, these words cause Sorey to be hesitant—when Mikleo is truly completely fine, he’ll team it with sarcasm, or tell Sorey to stop asking. Yet he also hasn’t said no either, which he is not afraid to do. Sorey knows Mikleo is simply slightly unsure. And so, as Sorey trails his hands over Mikleo’s hips, his lips pressed against Mikleo’s neck, he keeps it slow and gentle.

It truly is fine for now. Mikleo’s fingers creeping up Sorey’s shirt, a sigh caught by Sorey’s lips as Sorey does the same over the skin above Mikleo’s jeans. Sorey allows his hands to run over Mikleo’s rear. He squeezes gently, waiting for any sign of tension, yet it doesn’t arrive until minutes later when they are slightly heavier.

Sorey hands have trailed up Mikleo’s arms, pinning the slender wrists down onto the bed—his touch is still lacking force, Mikleo easily able to pull free, however the action still causes alarm to rise in Mikleo’s eyes.

“W-Wait—” he stutters, speaking as Sorey has already let go.

“I’m sorry, I got carried away! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine, I just,” Mikleo breathes out, sitting himself up, “I don’t think I’m up for this yet.”

“Me pinning you like that, or this in general?”

“In general.” Then, as an afterthought, “Sorry.”

“What? No, no don’t apologise, Mikleo! It’s fine!” Sorey takes Mikleo into a hug, able to feel that the other is trembling slightly. “You’re never obligated to do _anything.”_

“I know. I just—it isn’t even sex. Thought it’d seem stupid.”

“Not at all.” Sorey gives Mikleo a squeeze before letting go. A tongue runs over his lips. “Mikleo—”

“I think you’ve been right,” says Mikleo, voicing Sorey’s thoughts. “I genuinely didn’t think nothing was really up, that I really was just tired. But yeah, I guess I’ve been a bit too off for that.”

“So it _has _been sub drop?”

Mikleo hums, leaning into the hand which now cups his face. “The typical stuff, you know. Being depressed, lack of motivation, hopelessness—you know the drill.”

“It wasn’t anything I did, was it? Like I took care of you enough?”

“God Sorey, of course you did,” says Mikleo, shaking his head out of disbelief, as though the thought of Sorey not caring for him properly is out of this world. “It just happens sometimes, especially when you do something more intense like that. It isn’t always sunshine and rainbows where you feel better with some kisses and a massage.”

“How are you now, though?”

“A fair bit better, for sure. It’s not really common it lasts longer than a couple of days.”

“Yeah, I know. I just wanted to make sure, that you didn’t have to go see someone.” Sorey straightens up to press a kiss to the top of Mikleo’s head. “When you’re feeling like that, even if you genuinely think you’re okay, can you talk to me about it? Just in case? I don’t want you to face that alone. And considering I’m the one you’re trusting physically, you need to trust me emotionally too, okay?”

“You know I do, idiot.”

“I mean specifically with this.” Sorey grins. “Wouldn’t have said yes to marrying me if you didn’t trust me emotionally.”

Mikleo rolls his eyes, yet is smiling with amusement himself. “I’ll try to be more open about it, anyway. Guys, you know, always sucking at talking about their emotions.”

“You’re always free to talk about yours.” Sorey hums, now holding onto Mikleo’s hands, swaying them gently back and to. “How about we read a book and spend half the time debating?”

“You’re on, sucker.”

With a fond smile, Sorey watches as Mikleo immediately slides off the bed and begins to sift through the books on one of their bookcases, muttering suggestions almost to himself. A thought creeps to Sorey’s mind, one that does so commonly; how he got so lucky.


End file.
